Process of manufacturing safety-explosives.



UNITED STATES Patented June 9, 1903.

PATENT Grinch.

ADAM MCORACKEN, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

' SI-ECIFICATIONforming part Of Letters Patent N0. 730,288, dated J une 9, 1903.

\pplication filed September 5, 1902. Serial No. 122,267. (No specimens.) I

street, Dunedin, New Zealand, have invented ter.

a certain new and useful Improved Processof Man ufacturing Safety-Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of modifyiugthenature of picric acid and glycerin in a manner which renders it much safer for use than heretofore.

I take picric acid and dissolve same in glycerin at atemperature of 212 Fahrenheit, After being-so dissolved I- neutralize same by the addition of carbonate of ammonia, and while in a dissolved state I add thereto inf usorial earth or other material having with the above-named mixture the like elfect and so producing what I term picrated mixture. Any remaining moisture is evaporated by heat. The next stage of my process consists in the addition of nitrate of potash which has been previously dissolved in boiling wa- The mixture is then kept boiling and continuously stirred at a temperature of 240 Fahrenheit until the whole is comparatively dry. A small percentage of sulfur may then be added. The said compound is now laid out in trays and thoroughly dried in the sun, or the trays maybe arranged and laid in sheds fitted with louver-boards. The said opera-.

tions are simple and safe, the result being the production of explosive of high power.

The explosive can be produced in either powdered or granular form and may be compressed into various sizes.

I employ the following ingredients in the preparation of my'explosive; which proportions may'be slightly altered, according to quality of materials used: twenty parts picric mixture containing one-hall as much glycerin as picric acid, sixty parts nitrate of potash, fifteen parts infusorial earth, five parts sulfur.

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is.-

,l. The herein-described method of manufacturing an explosive compound which consists in dissolving picric acid in glycerin, adding thereto infusorial earth, then adding an aqueous solution of nitrate o f potash, boiling the mixture, adding a small quantity of sub fur thereto, and finally thoroughly drying the same, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described method of manufacturing an explosive compodnd which consists in dissolving picric acid in glycerin, neutralizing the sameby carbonate of ammonia, adding thereto iufusoria-l earth, then adding an aqueous solution of nitrate of potash, boiling the mixture, adding a small quantity of sulfur thereto, and finally thoroughly drying the same, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my J. F. HARPER, J. R. PARK; 

